New Balance 1906L “Black Leather” U1906LBN

The New Balance 1906L continues to be among the most polarizing models in the current footwear zeitgeist. Some have fully embraced the “dad shoes meets formalwear” concept. Some, even judging only by social media reactions, still reject it entirely even as the silhouette marches towards a dozen colorways. In pushing towards that milestone, New Balance has begun to toy with its construction, and an all-leather build dawns with this “Triple Black” 1906L.

Those who have been tracking the “love it or hate it” model along with us may be reminded of the actual high fashion manner in which we first spotted the silhouette, as the Junya Wantanabe 1906L. Contrasting that shoe to the one here, this pair relies on matte leather rather than patent for a more relaxed mainline counterpart. Even if this pair sits distinct from that collaborative one, do note that “murdered-out” is clearly NB’s favored way to trot out the silhouette. This flat leather edition joins a similar take on the original mesh build and a still-upcoming suede variation.

Expect the New Balance 1906L in black leather coming about as part of the brand’s Spring/Summer offerings. Though retail pricing for this leather build isn’t concrete at this stage, anticipate something in the $160 range.

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in video editing and writing in the music world — primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers led him to switching over to footwear. An avid collector, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to either the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-ups. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.